Best CPU Coolers We've Tested (2024): Thermals, Noise Levels, & Value

Gamers Nexus December 16, 2024
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Use code 'PUCKGAMERSNEXUS' for 10% off the store for another few days. Expires soon. https://store.gamersnexus.net/ This Best Of round-up recaps the best coolers we've tested in the past year or so. There are seemingly endless coolers, and we know we haven't gotten to all of them this (or any) year, so we're basing this off of what we've tested for 2024. The round-up includes the best CPU coolers for value, budget, noise-normalized thermals in both air and liquid categories (since they are in different classes), best mechanical design, and best overall. Thermalright took the industry by storm in the past few years with its onslaught of cheap (but good) air coolers, and now, multiple others are trying to get in on the party. That includes Arctic with its Freezer 36 and ID-Cooling with its A720 and SE-214-XT coolers. On the higher-end side, Noctua finally released its long-awaited NH-D15 G2 in three variations, taking victories in best noise-normalized thermals for air cooling and best mechanical design. Watch our Best Cases of 2024 video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RytD3xII-0 And our Best CPUs of 2024 video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zue30tcu0mY The best way to support our work is through our store: https://store.gamersnexus.net/ Like our content? Please consider becoming our Patron to support us: http://www.patreon.com/gamersnexus RELATED PRODUCTS [Affiliate Links] BEST OVERALL ID-Cooling A720 & Arctic Freezer 36 (Intel) ID-Cooling A720 on Amazon: https://geni.us/4BUEy3N Arctic Freezer 36 on Amazon: https://geni.us/HakRiQ9 Arctic Freezer 36 on Newegg (Amazon is often a better deal for this one): https://howl.link/mya178v3dj8ze GN review of Arctic Freezer 36: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Do1wXFliU BEST VALUE Thermalright Frozen Prism 360 Thermalright Frozen Prism 360 on Amazon: https://geni.us/FUqbQC GN review of Thermalright Frozen Prism 360: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPQ-UvavT8Q BEST BUDGET ID-Cooling SE-214-XT ARGB ID-Cooling SE-214-XT ARGB on Amazon: https://geni.us/kFBDMw BEST NOISE-NORMALIZED THERMALS (Liquid) Arctic Liquid Freezer III and (Air) Noctua NH-D15 G2 Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 on Amazon: https://geni.us/5N1BRr9 Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 on Newegg: https://howl.link/8k9nmchk4lgzt Noctua NH-D15 G2 on Amazon (there are 3 models - linking standard): https://geni.us/gqI4 Noctua NH-D15 G2 Standard on Newegg: https://howl.link/ojlu2sgztnfqc GN review of Arctic Liquid Freezer III: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfffNRTOZCc GN review of Noctua NH-D15 G2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heriTDWIU2g BEST MECHANICAL DESIGN Noctua NH-D15 G2 Noctua NH-D15 G2 Standard on Amazon: https://geni.us/gqI4 Noctua NH-D15 G2 LBC on Amazon: https://geni.us/uXCi Noctua NH-D15 G2 HBC on Amazon: https://geni.us/ZSX0 Noctua NH-D15 G2 Standard on Newegg: https://howl.link/ojlu2sgztnfqc Noctua NH-D15 G2 LBC on Newegg: https://howl.link/9ckpx1v7taz0s Noctua NH-D15 G2 HBC on Newegg: https://howl.link/mxd30bjy223qk GN article review of the cooler (video review above): https://gamersnexus.net/coolers/noctua-nh-d15-g2-review-benchmarks-hbc-lbc-comparison-best-cpu-coolers TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Best Coolers We've Tested in 2024 03:04 - Setting Expectations 04:57 - Best Overall 09:44 - Best Value 13:09 - Best Budget 16:34 - Best Noise-Normalized Thermals 20:42 - Best Mechanical Design 24:36 - Conclusion ** Please like, comment, and subscribe for more! ** Links to Amazon and Newegg are typically monetized on our channel (affiliate links) and may return a commission of sales to us from the retailer. This is unrelated to the product manufacturer. Any advertisements or sponsorships are disclosed within the video ("this video is brought to you by") and above the fold in the description. We do not ever produce paid content or "sponsored content" (meaning that the content is our idea and is not funded externally aside from whatever ad placement is in the beginning) and we do not ever charge manufacturers for coverage. Follow us in these locations for more gaming and hardware updates: t: http://www.twitter.com/gamersnexus f: http://www.facebook.com/gamersnexus w: http://www.gamersnexus.net/ Our policies, processes, and ethics statements relating to review samples, advertising, travel, errors, and more are transparently and publicly available on this page: https://gamers.nexus/ethics-statements Steve Burke: Host, Writing Vitalii Makhnovets: Editing Andrew Coleman: Camera, Editing

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